Closure structure



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United States Patent CLOSURE STRUCTURE William Bradford, Taunton, Mass.

Application March 31,1953, Serial No. 345,899

2 Claims. (Cl. 150-8) This invention relates to an improvement inclosures for ice bags, hot water bags or bottles and similarreceptacles.

The principal object of the invention is to provide a simplified, moreeflicient and less costly closure for such receptacles than is affordedby present constructions.

Other and further objects residing in the details of construction andthe specific functional advantages resulting from the novelconstructional features are made apparent in the disclosures of thedrawing and in the following specification and claims.

In the accompanying drawing,

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a closure embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view, parts being broken away; and v Fig. 3is a fragmentary sectional detail view of a conventional construction,helpful in explaining the functional advantages of my improved closure.

The type of receptacle or bag which my improved closure is intended toserve comprises flexible walls formed of rubber, rubber lined orrubberized fabric, or a flexible plastic sheet material designed tocontain crushed ice or hot water. The bag may be given various shapes tomeet particular needs but all are characterized by being provided withan opening through which the bag may be filled or emptied.

A prime requirement of the closure for such opening is that it shalleffectively and reliably seal the opening in a watertight manner.

The general function of the bag is to effect a relatively slow transferof heat from the contents of the bag to the surface to which it isapplied or vice versa. In any case the heat transfer is effected throughthe flexible walls of the bag and it is desirable to minimize thetransfer of heat through the closure, which as later pointed out ispreferably formed in part at least of metal.

Further, because of the flexible character of the wall of the bag, thevariations in the size and the shape of bags to meet varyingrequirements it is diflicult and uneconomical to apply the manufacturersname and trademark to the bag. The top of the closure is always clearlyobservable and is directly in view when the bag is picked up forremoving the closure in the act of filling or emptying the bag. Forthese reasons it is desirable, and is a frequent practice, to place themanufacturers name on the top of the closure. In any event the closuremust present a neat and attractive appearance.

The above mentioned necessary or desirable features, among others, aresecured in an improved, more reliable and more economical manner by myconstruction than in prior constructions and arrangements.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawing the closure is shown ascomprising a cylindrical cup-shaped member, generally indicated at 1formed of metal and comprising a base or bottom wall 2, integralthreaded side walls 3, an outwardly extending flange 4 and an inwardlyextending rim portion 5. These members are advantageously formedintegral with each other by conventional "ice die stamping methods,although they may be formed as separate elements suitably connectedtogether. The flange 5 extends over the edge portions of a discmember-6; a

A flexible molded rubber cap or hood member 7' is stretched tightly overthe members 4, 5 and 6 Cap 7 includes an annular binding and gasketforming portion 8 which extends along the lower surface of flange 4 withits free edge tightly engaging the outer surface of wall 3 at thejuncture of wall 3 and flange 4.

Inuse the closure is screwed into a metal, or hard plastic ring 9,indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 2-, which is secured in anysuitablemanner to the flexible side walls 10 of the bag.

The molded unstressed dimensions of cap 7 are made such that when thecap is drawn over the metal assembly as shown in Fig. 2 its parts areunder suflicient tension to hold the metal members in relatively tightengagement with each other and with portion 8 tightly engaging the undersurface of flange 4 and the adjacent portion of wall 2 and binding thecap'to the metal portions in a tight assembly. When the closure isscrewed into ring 9 as above described, portion 8 is compressed betweenflange 4 and the opposed surface of ring 9, gasket fashion, to eflect afluid tight seal.

In the molding of cap 7 its outer surface may be provided with the name,trademark, or other appropriate or ornamental insignia 11.

The frictional character of the molded cap material together with itsstressed engagement over the metal parts prevents relative movementbetween the two and the cap serves to provide an eflicient non-slipgripping surface to the hand of the user in applying or removing theclosure, assuring a firm, water-tight engagement of the closure in thebag.

The cap 7 effectively seals the chamber formed by the metal parts,providing a dead air space within the closure without the necessity ofproviding an air-tight engagement between disc 6 and inwardly turnededge 5, or other connections if the metal assembly is made in more thantwo parts. This dead air space serves as a heat insulation and with thefurther insulating efiect of the cap substantially eliminates orminimizes temperature losses at the closure. The fact that no metalparts are exposed adds to the comfort with which the bag may be usedsince even in careless use no metal surface can come in contact with thesurface to which it is applied.

The advantages of the above features are more clearly apparent on abrief comparison with the conventional closure construction shown inFig. 3 where the base member 15 is shown provided with an annularchannel 16 to receive an annular rubber sealing ring 17 which is subjectto displacement and loss. The edge portion of member 15 is milled as at18 to provide a gripping surface and if the space within the closure isto be given any heat insulating properties the juncture 19 between themember 15 and disc 20 must be made air-tight either by precise assemblymethod or by soldering or welding. Furthermore, disc 20, to whichtrademarks or other indicia 21 are applied by means of stamping dies,must be given a finish by expensive nickel or chrome plating if theproduct is to have a quality finish. All of this involves expensivematerials and operations, which are avoided by my construction. Further,the security af forded by my integral gasket member 8 and the guardingagainst metal contact with the surface to which the bag is applied arewholly absent in the conventional structure.

A further and substantial advantage resulting from my constructionresides in the fact that the manufacturer need stock only one form ofmetal assembly to serve a wide range of forms and types of bags,resulting in a substantial saving. Only the rubber or plastic cap needdiffer for different types and quality of bags. These caps are cheaplymade by molding, permitting the use of various colors and designs moreattractive, durable and less costly than is available in metal.

What is claimed is:

1. A closure for ice bags, hot water bags and the like which comprises ametal assembly including a threaded cylindrical base portion closed atits bottom end and formed with an outwardly extending annular flangearound its upper end, having an inwardly turned rim, a metal disc havingits edges engaging beneath said inwardly turned rim to form a chamber,and a separately molded cap member formed of flexible, elastic material,having a downwardly and inwardly directed annular lip portion, said capmember enclosing said metal assembly except for said threaded baseportion and making a stressed engagement over the outer edge of saidflange to secure the cap to the metal assembly and render said chambersubstantially water and air tight, said lip extending over the undersurface of said flange to form a sealing gasket for the closure.

2. A closure as recited in claim 1 in which the outer surface of the capmember is molded with identifying indicia and being interchangeable witha cap bearing different indicia.

References Cited'in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,269,103 Lobl June 11, 1918 1,607,314 Schweinert- Nov. 16, 19261,834,978 Shapiro Dec. 8, 1931 1,904,091 Shoop Apr. 18, 1933 2,289,887Shapiro July 14, 1942

